A vehicular train employing a series of trailers or implements towed behind a tow vehicle or tow vehicle is often used to even out or distribute heavy loads. In particular to agriculture, a tow vehicle, e.g., tractor, is known to be used to pull a conventional planting or drill implement in tandem with a seed cart for distributing fertilizer and/or seed in a field. The seed cart is typically towed as a separate implement behind the distribution implement because the excessive weight of the seed and/or fertilizer can adversely affect the planting depth, and to avoid obscuring the field of vision of the operator in the tow vehicle. The distribution implement is preferably pulled directly behind the tow vehicle and in front of the seed cart to enhance distribution of the product when turning a corner in the field.
However, the above-described agricultural implement train has drawbacks. With the desire for increased distribution spread, the conventional drill implement includes emerging type wings or booms that each can reach a length of 70 to 80-feet in an extended, operative position. The great weight and extended dimensions of the towed drill implement increases opportunities for undesired jack-knifing of the towed implement such as when decelerating around corners. Also, the towed implements are typically supported by a series of caster wheel assemblies or units. Typically when turning a corner, generally half of these caster wheel assemblies freely caster such that only about half of the weight of the towed implement is contributing to its directional stability. These caster wheel assemblies are known to shimmy or vibrate at high transport speeds and when maneuvering at low lower speeds. This undesired vibration of the caster wheel assemblies increases undesired stress on the frame of the agricultural implement and the tow vehicle. The caster wheel assemblies also require sizable room to fully caster or swivel in a full circle, which can compromise the compact design of an implement and/or cause the point of support of the caster wheel assembly to rotate away from its desired location.
Therefore, there is a need or desire for an enhanced steering connection assembly for a vehicular train that addresses the drawbacks described above. The steering connection assembly should also be configured to be utilized with a wide variety of implements or trailers towed behind a tow vehicle, in addition to those related to agriculture.